Renzo Piano has pulled out of a project to build an 80-storey tower in Boston, USA, throwing a lifeline to Paul Rudolph's Blue Cross Building (pictured), which was set to make way for the new development.

It is still unclear as to why Piano has walked away from the scheme, but there had been reports earlier this month that the architect was under pressure from the developer to make the skyscraper wider.

In an interview with the New York Times, Piano had said he was resisting mounting pressure from the developer, Steven Belkin, to increase the width of the vast project.

This latest news will be welcomed by campaign groups who have been fighting to save Rudolph's 1960s tower from demolition, and have recently won a 90-day stay of execution.

The 13-storey building was hailed by critics as well ahead of its time, and its ornate exterior made it a favourite among heritage groups such as Docomomo.

However, the celebrations could be short-lived, as the developer has made his intention clear that the project will go ahead with Boston practice, CBT Architects, taking on Piano's design 'with approriate refinements as needed'.

Subscribe to the AJ

The Architects’ Journal is the UK’s best-selling weekly architecture magazine and is the voice of architecture in Britain

About the Architects' Journal

The Architects' Journal is the voice of architecture in Britain. We sit at the heart of the debate about British architecture and British cities, and form opinions across the whole construction industry on design-related matters